


Toriel's Home for Runaways

by InsominiacArrest



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Character Study, Diary/Journal, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Vignette, runaways - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-02 11:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5247161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsominiacArrest/pseuds/InsominiacArrest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Toriel could use some company, some lost kids could use a place to stay. </p><p>Toriel collects messed up folks one day at a time and they try to make it work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Implied Childhood Abuse

_October_

The brothers appeared at my door on the 18th. It was a Thursday, they were both smiling, but it was somehow hard to look at, like a, well, it was hard to look at. I greeted them with my heart on my sleeve, I was ready for the houses christening, they stepped into the porch light. I shouldn't have flinched.

They each resembled like a bag of bones, wrists sticking out like jagged knives out of battered shirt sleeves and cheeks like gaunt indent marks. I didn’t know what to say after that, they were only the third ones to come so far, and the first ones were gone by the morning…

They ask if I was the new house for ‘kids.’

I find my voice! Tell them of course, see if I can get them something to eat, pie, chicken, pizza, um, candy. I might have been abrasive.

They said, the tall one said, no thank you m'am.

His brother took his hat off, he grinned widely and asked to come in.

I stepped out of the way and told them I just opened up and I had so many beds available, sleep wherever they like, however long.

The older one was apparently the little one. He led his brother around and took him the upstairs, thanking me the entire way.

The tall one mumbled to himself and laughed a little hollowly, I watched them go and then planned breakfast in my head as fast as I could. Bacon? Bacon, eggs, or perhaps something just for these kids to take? Oh well.

I expected them to be gone the next day, but they came downstairs and politely asked about showers here and kitchen privileges, and I could barely stop smiling. Nice boys!

 

And they might stay.

_10/20_

Their names are Sans and Papyrus, strange names but I can’t imagine anything that would fit better after this.

Sans tries harder than anyone I’ve ever seen to make his brother laugh. And now tries to make me laugh too, the cheeky lad, it really is...non _Sans_ ical (haha)

Papyrus is charming too, wants to know everything there is to know about the food and cooking, they seemed so reserved at first but now his confidence is a glowing ember of warmth in this place.

Please. Let them stay.

_10/22_

I asked about if they were interested in enrolling in school today, Sans glanced at his brother and it felt like a train crash on the eve of Christmas, I quickly swallowed my words and revealed my previous dream to be a teacher and that I'd love to teach them that is (true after all).

They asked what I meant by previous.

I told them a joke about bicycles, (Why couldn’t the bicycle stand up? It was two-tired!!!) Sans was very good distraction from any awkward conversation with his laughter. They agreed, I can still feel my heart as light as a feather!

Overall, they both seem more happy but I worry about Papyrus, he gets confused sometimes, can’t remember where this is or what’s going on, Sans won’t talk about it.

Or any bruises. Or if I should worry about...well, you get the point.

I am going to create a curriculum tonight! It’s so exciting.

_10/23_

I’m worried. I heard Sans, what sounded like, well, it was a threat. Some other kids were outside and he told them to ‘step off’ and ‘not come near here.’ I appreciate his protective instincts but those kids could need help, a bed, a good laugh.

I will have to talk to him.

Papyrus seems to be doing well, they both seem to be a couple years behind in school but I’m on no hurry. Papyrus used seven of the math pages to draw some pictures of himself in 'cool' outfits' and the last to create a brand new spaghetti recipe that involves sour worms. I spread three gold stars all over all of them, then the boys got hold of the gold stars and...well it got messy. I am still unsticking gold stars from under my tables.

Papyrus also loves puzzles at least, I'm going to buy some more in bulk from costco, hopefully that come in blue. 

Oh! Also, I almost forgot, I saw Muffet today, I told her she was free to come back anytime she needed, she just shrugged and responds she can make her own way, I quote, "I have my own resources dearie." A little difficult, very lady like, I will continue prepping a bed though.

...I thought of something to tell Asgore this morning…I learned to bake a new type of pie. I hope the boys like it, I’ll give it to Sans after the talk.

_10/23_

Papyrus fell down. His head is covered in lumps, some aren't new, dear God, dear lord, Sans won’t look me in the eye, who had done this?? I was never a violent person, but some people are not meant to parent...or to be in this world.

_10/23_

Please ignore the last part.

_10/26_

So many things have happened.

But it seems to be getting back to normal, Sans tried to get them to leave the other night, Papyrus cried out, I ran out of bed, Papyrus stumbled over to me, saying he didn’t want to go. I was confused, I realized they were leaving, I said something about this not being a prison, but Sans was already grinding his teeth in the dark, yelling at Papyrus to come back over.

I’ve never seen Sans angry before. For such a short young man, I was, frankly. Frightened. Eyes red, and fists bunched up, he doesn't trust me.

He calmed down though, we ended up having a very long talk, or at least Pap finally wanted to talk.

The boys had been on the streets for awhile, running, running, running why most kids run, to escape guardians that foregone any right to parenting or decency. Papyrus was hurt, Sans had them leave.

I won’t record all of it journal, there was a lot of hugging after, I told Sans he needs to let other kids in here.

Sans said I had to make sure nothing happened. They would leave.

I, I am going to do everything I can do.

 

_10/26_

I took the boys shopping today! Tie-sday you could say (!!<\---good!), little suits among all the other things boys need. Sans says all he wants is slippers and a bigger pillow. I laughed, and think they could tell it was strained, I got Pap a basketball and two Halloween costumes for this year. He loves Halloween.

I got a little something for myself too, a book of 100 facts and one about gastropods (flatworms sometimes control snails to stand out in the open so they will be eaten by birds! Note to self: remember to put parasites in Tuesdays lesson)

 **  
** I am also going to buy more flyers today too, I love the boys, but I have so many empty beds at the house. And there are more kids like Sans and Pap out there.


	2. The Girl in the Leather Jacket

_10/28_

She appeared in a halo of rain, a little sneer on her lips and the look of someone with a lot of kick to her step.

It was coming down hard last night, window pains shaking and I could hear Sans telling Papyrus it was nothing from the other room and I then start to hear knocking.

Of course, first I want to ignore it, it was the middle of the night and assumed it was the rain pattering more strongly against the wood than before. But then I heard the voice.

“Are you a fucking gank house or what?!” Hem, yes, in those were the words. So I put on some footwear and shuffle to the door.

She was as wet as a rat in a storm drain, droplets bouncing off her sun kissed skin and black eye liner running down her cheeks. Her over sized leather jacket hung from her lanky frame and a layer of grime covered her jeans. She was striking young women. And by striking I mean she almost struck me when I answered the door.

I ushered her in after she hit the empty air behind my head, her eyes shifted around, telling me if there were cops around she’d take them all down one by one.

I assured her there were no cops around and laughed, thinking it was a joke.

She said she was very serious, she knew kung-fu and pushed over my potted plant on the way up as I showed her to the bedroom to prove it. I forgave that for now, and explained to her the house rules and that breakfast was at 7:30, she nodded and then, it seemed checked for wires or hidden camera's in the room? 

She holds herself so much like a sergeant on a wore path, but when I drew her a warm bath her eyes mellowed and saw a very tired looking young lady. One that yelled at me that no one better peak because she was armed with these GUNS (and then she flexed). She doesn't seem to like us...

But! She asked how long she could stay. Good sign right?

-

_10/29_

Her name is Undyne, she is loud and playful- when she isn't being loud and, er, violent. She wears fish earrings everyday, has elaborate plans to join the navy and become an admiral (such lovely dreams!), she can't spell to save her life-- but she asserts she won't come to lessons anymore anyway :(. 

She loves being a runaway she says, loves being on her her own, but she has placed all her stuff away in the drawers, so I think she plans on staying?

_-_

_10/30_

I'm trying to get a hold of some parenting books, the good ones that don't tell you to spank people. What I mean to say is that my silver wear is disappearing, and not in an ambiguous sort of way, no it's in a pile under her pillow. I don't think it's because she steals naturally, more of, cat that wants to assert itself to get our attention. By snatching the sugar bowl.

It would be more funny if I just was more prepared for this (I'm mom-mooned on this one...), the boys were all so easy, now she fills our house like a mountain, elevating or crushing anyone in her path (Papyrus loves her).

She knows more curse words than not, and speaks like she wants her vocal chords to break, she collects sharp things and I adore it when she laughs like a jack hammer and her whole body quakes. If only she wouldn't take things?

My friend Gloria says I should just get a water bottle and spritz her every time she opens her mouth or breaks something. The parenting books seem like they agree I need to be the 'head' of the house? (More like the Tori-ant of the house, like tyrant? And Toriel? I'll work on it). 

Most of all, I would love to see her smile, a real one, but mostly she just looks put out.

_10/30_

And now she's teaching Papyrus basketball! At least they are getting along, Sans says they are both too high energy, but they are playing like kids do, and I think that's the point of this place, don't you think?

_-_

_10/31 (!!)_

Why don't witches like to ride broom sticks when they're angry? They might fly off the handle!

What did the ghost ask for in the bar? BOOs! (maybe not for kids?)

Who won the skeleton beauty contest? No body! (From Sans)

Why couldn't Dracula's wife get to sleep? Because of his coffin!

Halloween is today! I'm excited, the kids are excited, I hope your excited... I'm going to attach jokes to give out to tricker treaters with their candies.

Papyrus is still deciding between being a race car driver or a super hero. Undyne is an undead knight and Sans is just a cardboard sign on him that says 'costume' (that boy).

I am, of course, what I am every year. A pickle with the sign, "help, I'm in a..." Asgore never liked it, but guess who isn't here :).

We made candied apples last night with the minimal amount of caramel left on the ceiling, so, a success? We're going out right now for the night.

_-_

_11/1_

Undyne is throwing things, Papyrus is trying to calm her down, Sans keeps saying she shouldn't have pushed that kid in the first place, she shouldn't have pushed him, she said she had to, she keeps repeating she had to.

_11/1_

I have a dilemma. Sirens are in the distance, Undyne is shaking and looking for some place to hide, I can't get her to explain it, I need to help her, I do.

"He can't know where I am!" Oh no, oh God, another one, I ask her why, she just scowls.

I hide her. The police come to the door, they say some one egged our neighbors house and that I have a lot of kids here. "Different" kids. I say that wasn't us, and actually I am pretty sure it wasn't us.

Papyrus is now moping, he wanted more candy, Sans is in extension also moping alongside him, I can't find Undyne.

_-_

_11/2_

Undyne is gone.

_-_

_11/3_

Undyne is back! What a scattered girl. It turns out she went home, and then she came to thank us for her time there, told us she had been kicked out, but now.... She didn't want to cause us anymore trouble. I asked her why she was kicked out, she just frowned and described the first time, that "they weren't paying attention...He said he didn't want a jock daughter. A dumb one with bad grades and bad attitude, didn't want a gay daughter, didn't want me." She scratches her neck and tried to laugh.

A hug her. She complains and tries to get away, but I hold tighter, I am throwing out my parenting books, kids just need hugs and good food, not an evaluation.

She asks if she has to go back, I tell her no, no she doesn't. I'm not sure if that's the right thing or just the selfish thing to do, but look at that. She's smiling now.

I give her all my salad forks as a welcome back present (as well as a joke), she rolls her eyes and returns all the odds and ends she stored in her pack that she had taken from the house, what an odd girl.

**Author's Note:**

> insomniac-arrest.tumblr.com is my blog


End file.
